Dave Black > The point I am making is that it is not, and this is because there is a > very indirect relationship between mite population and colony mortality. My comment included not only survival, but good health. Strong healthy colonies that may be infected by mites, or any other disease/pest, is what we want. For a scientific study, you are quite right. "comparative" monitoring is essential. But, breeding from survivors is a means to develop resistant colonies. If they are resistant, who cares if there are mites or not. I am assuming that simple survival is not the end of the matter. > To measure the efficacy of a Varroa control there must be a way of assaying the Varroa > population; Here is the difference in our point of view. I am suggesting breeding from these 'resistant' colonies to develop bees that can ignore the mites. Resistant bees are not a means of control. They control things themselves. I don't think we disagree, we are just saying different things. This is what I had in mind when I suggested breeding the AFB for desirable qualities. Regards from Alaska, - - - - - - - - - - - - "Test everything. Hold on to the good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Tom Elliott Eagle River, Alaska U.S.A. [log in to unmask]